The Los Angeles Rams take on the 0-6 Los Angeles Chargers this week, and with a chance to get back to .500 on the season, here are five keys to winning this cross-town battle.
Herbert cannot step up in the pocket
Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is in the midst of his worst season as a professional, as he is operating a scheme he does not have trust in, with a roster that has once again suffered the injury bug. Herbert is second-guessing his throws, and sometimes uses passing plays as pseudo-quarterback draws, just to get yardage.
The Rams need to maintain their rush lanes on the interior, cloud Herbert's line of vision, block any path for him to step up into an open space, and the defenders need to get their hands up if they can't sack him. Herbert is notorious for getting balls
batted at the line of scrimmage.
Let the Chargers offense punch itself out
As mentioned, Herbert is having an awful year, and the team isn't doing much better. I mean, they're winless. Mike McDaniel, their offensive coordinator, is running out of time and his career is tanking. He's desperate and will look to take advantage of any opening. Do not give him one. Let the Chargers punch themselves out, but maintain the top of the defense, forcing Herbert and company to go on extended drives.
Williams and Corum for the win
Both backs were excellent last week, and the Chargers defense is opportunistic but light. They can be beaten down over the course of a game, and the running backs should lead the charge once again. They open up everything. Puka Nacua is better when they have a strong showing, and their passing attack with the tight ends is near unstoppable.
The Chargers do not have the mental strength, will, effort, and talent to not fall victim to play action. Set it up and attack.
Take away the tight ends and McConkey
Herbert is nothing without receiver Ladd McConkey, and since McConkey has been hurt for most of the season, Herbert has been awful. The Rams' defensive emphasis should be on stopping McConkey first, before attempting to eliminate the tight ends. The reason is that the tight ends are tall targets for Herbert to find. The Chargers have no real outside threat beyond McConkey, so if the Rams focus their resources elsewhere and force Herbert to find his other wide receivers, the offense will sputter.
Blitz in the red zone
Yes, four of the five keys are about the Rams' defense. That's how awful the Chargers' offense is. We don't even need to dive into the special teams woes of the Rams, as the Chargers are unable to capitalize. Field position and field goals win this game.
In the event the Chargers do enter the red zone, they can not let them score a touchdown and build confidence, especially early. The Rams need to blitz in order to quell the run, and to disrupt Herbert's timing. He's mobile, but he isn't fast, and his processor has been off this season. Disguise the matchups, and he will hesitate long enough to get to him.
This article originally appeared on Rams Wire: Rams' 5 keys to victory vs. Chargers on Sunday
